Ramps closing as work on 24-40 and K-7 launches

Traffic slows in a construction zone on State Avenue near Kansas Highway 7. Beginning today, ramps on and off K-7 at U.S. Highway 24-40, or State Avenue, will be closed for most of the rest of the year for construction of a new interchange.

Weather permitting, all ramps at the Kansas Highway 7 and U.S. Highway 24-40 interchange will close today, so that construction on the new K-7 and U.S. 24-40 interchange in Wyandotte County may begin.

All ramps will be closed beginning at 8:30 a.m. Thursday, and will be closed throughout the duration of the project.

In addition, weather permitting, on Saturday, U.S. 24-40 will be closed from 130th Street to 142nd Street for demolition work on part of the existing K-7 bridge. U.S. 24-40 will close at 8 p.m. Saturday and will reopen to all traffic at 8 a.m. Sunday.

Marked detours will be provided for all traffic during the ramp and lane closures. Message boards will alert traffic to these ramp and lane closures.

KDOT official Kimberly Qualls said she suggested drivers take the marked detours, which are the same as the truck/vehicle detour routes:

¢ Drivers heading east on U.S. 24-40 who want to go north or south on K-7 should go east on U.S. 24-40 to Interstate 435 south, then head west on Interstate 70 to K-7.

¢ Drivers who are heading west on U.S. 24-40 and want to go north or south on K-7 should take I-435 south to I-70 west to K-7.

¢ Drivers who are heading south on K-7 and want to go east or west on U.S. 24-40 should first head east on I-70 to I-435 north then head to U.S. 24-40, or State Avenue.

¢ Drivers heading north on K-7 who want to go east or west on U.S. 24-40 should first go east on I-70 to I-435 north and then get on U.S. 24-40.

Local drivers also could evaluate other alternate routes. For instance, if heading south on K-7 from Lansing, drivers could take Leavenworth Road or Parallel Road to the west from K-7 to Basehor and then take 155th Street south through Basehor to U.S. 24-40. Parallel and Leavenworth roads to the east also meet I-435.

Likewise, drivers on U.S. 24-40 could use those routes to get to K-7 north of the interchange.

For anyone wanting to travel south of the interchange, there is 130th Street, which connects K-7 to U.S. 24-40 east of the interchange, or 110th Street, which connects U.S. 24-40 to I-70 and winds around the southwest side of Kansas Speedway.

Updated daily lane and ramp closure information for the interchange project can be viewed online at: www.ksdot.org/kcmetro/laneclose.asp. Drivers should expect minor delays during the project and are encouraged to use alternate routes, if possible, according to KDOT.

The existing cloverleaf interchange will be replaced with a new partial cloverleaf or folded diamond interchange and the addition of auxiliary lanes on K-7 and US-24/40. The lane addition will provide traffic with acceleration and deceleration lanes for the new interchange on- and off-ramps. When completed, the new interchange will provide for a safer and more efficient driving experience for the traveling public.

APAC Kansas, Inc. is the primary contractor for this project with a total contract cost of $35,739,978. The scheduled completion date for the entire interchange project is early winter 2008.

The Kansas Department of Transportation urges all motorists to be alert, obey the warning signs, and "Give 'Em a Brake!" when approaching and driving through work zones. For questions or additional information on this interchange project, please contact Qualls, who is the Northeast Kansas Public Affairs Manager, at (785) 296-3881, or Jim Wetterberg, Bonner Springs Construction Engineer, at (785) 721-2754.